The present invention relates generally to fixed wireless communication systems and, in particular, to a fixed wireless communication system that may be rapidly deployed in lower tier markets through its use of regional switching and a method of regional switching during operation of such a communication system.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 deregulated local telephone service, thereby enabling new service providers, such as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), to compete with local telephone companies to install, lease, and/or resell unbundled loop or switch access services to customers. As a result of the Act, CLECs have the opportunity to compete with local exchange carriers (LECs or local telephone companies) and alternative service providers, such as commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers, in offering customers access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Internet service providers (ISPs) may also become CLECs in order to meet competitive pressure to reduce Internet access rates. With the continually increasing popularity of the Internet and the trend for ISPs to also provide CLEC services (or CLECs to provide Internet access services), existing and potential customers are demanding more features and bandwidth from the carriers of Internet traffic. A major portion of such demand is for Internet access to owners of rural businesses and residences.
The net effect of the convergence of voice and the Internet is competition between LECs to provide a complete voice and data communications solutions to rural businesses and residences. Such competition can exist only if CLECs or CMRS providers can efficiently design networks that meet or exceed voice and data service specifications of current LEC networks.
Although certain types of high speed (i.e., greater than 56 kilobits per second (kbps)) Internet service, such as integrated digital services network (ISDN), asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL) and/or DSL, are alleged to be provided or forthcoming in some low populous or rural markets (i.e., with populations of less than approximately 165,000 persons), such service is either inferior or has yet to be implemented due to the substantial distance (e.g., twenty-five miles or more) of the markets from the central serving offices of the service providers. These low populous or lower tier markets (e.g., cities and counties) often include educated and successful segments of the population desirous of an alternative to traditional low speed, dial-up methods of Internet access. The combination of the lack of CLECs and DSL providers, and the poor service offered by the existing LECs serving these lower tier markets provides market opportunity for new broadband service providers.
Fixed wireless networks (FWNs), such as wireless local loops (WLLs), are an efficient means for providing access to the PSTN or the Internet in rural or low populous areas. Such networks include a wireless infrastructure, such as base transceiver sites (BTSs), and wireline switching equipment within a so-called local access and transport area (LATA). An LATA is a geographic area served by one or more LECs and in which access to the PSTN is provided via a PSTN access switch, such as a conventional local access tandem switch. The BTSs are connected to localized switching equipment via leased high speed lines (e.g., where the FWN provider is also the LEC) or via microwave links. The localized switching equipment is then connected to the PSTN through the PSTN access switch.
In existing WLL networks, a remote wireless transceiver and antenna system is attached to the outside of a residence or business and connected to the telephone lines located within the building. A call emanating from a subscriber within the residence or business is communicated through the in-building telephone lines to the remote wireless transceiver, which in turn communicates the call to a BTS via a wireless communication resource or channel. The BTS forwards the call to the localized switching equipment. The switching equipment then routes the call to the appropriate PSTN or WLL subscriber (when the target subscriber is within the LATA) or to the calling subscriber""s interexchange carrier (IXC) for long distance service. Thus, WLL networks are coupled to the PSTN and IXCs via localized switching in a manner similar to conventional telephone networks. Existing WLLs are currently limited to providing local exchange services (i.e., local and long-distance telephone services), although wireless technology exists to support both voice and data.
Although WLL technology is a means for providing telephone and data services to low populous areas, existing approaches to implementing FWNs are time-consuming and costly due in large part to the costs and time required to deploy localized switching equipment in each LATA. The increased time and cost associated with deploying localized switching equipment delay the offering of broadband services to low populous areas and make competing with existing LECs difficult.
Therefore, a need exists for a fixed wireless communication system and method of switching during operation of such a system that are capable of providing broadband services, such as voice, data, and video to lower tier markets, but do not require the time and cost expenditures associated with incorporating localized switching.
Generally, the present invention encompasses a fixed wireless communication system and a method of switching during operation of such a system. The fixed wireless communication system includes wireless subsystems connected via microwave links to a backbone network comprising a particular arrangement of points of presence (POPs), points of interface (POIs), regional switching centers, and router subsystems that connect the wireless subsystems to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet (e.g., via an Internet backbone system, such as the xe2x80x9cUUNETxe2x80x9d backbone system which is commercially available from UUNET Technologies, Inc. of Fairfax, Va.). Fiber optic transmission lines are preferably used to transport voice, data, and/or video from POIs to POPs to switching centers, and vice versa. Importantly, the backbone network does not utilize localized switching in each local access and transport area (LATA) to couple the wireless subsystems to the PSTN. Rather, the present invention utilizes existing POPs and POIs, and unique regional switching to hub several LATAs, thereby substantially reducing infrastructure costs and expediting deployment of the system in appropriately selected, low populous markets.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the fixed wireless communication system includes a wireless subsystem and a backbone network. The wireless subsystem preferably comprises a wireless local loop subsystem and includes at least one base transceiver site and at least one stationary remote unit, wherein the stationary remote unit(s) communicates with the base transceiver site(s) via one or more wireless communication resources. The wireless subsystem resides in a first geographic area served by a first public switched telephone network (PSTN) access switch. The backbone network includes at least one point of presence (POP) and a switch, wherein the switch serves to at least route voice communications between the stationary remote unit(s) and a PSTN subscriber unit residing in a second geographic area served by a second PSTN access switch. The POP(s) couple the switch to at least the wireless subsystem, the first PSTN access switch, and the second PSTN access switch.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the backbone network of the fixed wireless communication system further includes a microwave transceiver site that operably couples the base transceiver site of the wireless subsystem to a POP. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the backbone network includes one or more points of interface (POIs) operably coupling respective POPs to corresponding PSTN access switches. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the backbone network includes a router subsystem operably coupled to a POP and serving to route data communications between a data host, such as an Internet backbone system or an external Internet service provider, and a subscriber of the wireless subsystem.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention, the switch serves to route voice communications between the wireless subsystem and at least one of an interexchange carrier, directory assistance, operator services, and an emergency 911 subsystem. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the wireless subsystem includes multiple stationary remote units, multiple base transceiver sites providing wireless communication services to the stationary remote units and a communication link, such as a microwave link, operably coupling at least two of the base transceiver sites to facilitate access to the backbone network.
In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, the switch is located outside, but serves, both the first geographic area and the second geographic area. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the switch may be located within one of the first and second geographic areas, provided that the switch maintains a regional focus serving both the first geographic area and the second geographic area. The geographic areas preferably comprise local access and transport areas (LATAs).
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the regional switch facilitates communication between a subscriber of a wireless subsystem located in a first geographic area served by a first PSTN access switch and either a PSTN subscriber located in either the first geographic area or a second geographic area served by a second PSTN access switch, or a subscriber of the wireless subsystem or another wireless subsystem. The switch receives call set-up information from the wireless subsystem via at least a first POP operably coupled between the switch and the wireless subsystem. The switch determines whether the call set-up information indicates a communication between wireless subscribers or between a subscriber to the wireless subsystem and a PSTN subscriber. In the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the wireless subsystem subscriber and a PSTN subscriber located in the second geographic area, the switch establishes a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes at least a second POP operably coupled between the switch and the second PSTN access switch.
In the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the wireless subsystem subscriber and a PSTN subscriber located in the first geographic area (i.e., the same geographic area that contains the wireless subsystem subscriber), the switch establishes a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes at least the first POP and the first PSTN access switch. In the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication between the wireless subsystem subscriber and a subscriber of a second wireless subsystem, the switch establishes a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes at least the first POP and the POP or POPs operably coupled between the switch and the geographic area containing the second wireless subsystem, but does not include either the first PSTN access switch or the second PSTN access switch. Finally, in the event that the call set-up information indicates a communication within the wireless subsystem containing the wireless subsystem subscriber, the switch establishes a switching path for the communication, wherein the switching path includes the at least the first POP, but does not include the first PSTN access switch. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, communications within a wireless subsystem or between wireless subsystems remain in the wireless subsystems and backbone network and never enter the PSTN (i.e., the communications never pass through a PSTN access switch).
By providing fixed wireless communication service in this manner, the present invention, through its use of existing wireline infrastructure and unique regional switching, enables new broadband service providers to rapidly enter the broadband service market and become providers of local exchange primary line subscriber service, high speed Internet access, and/or long distance service (via connection to an IXC) without substantial wireline infrastructure investment and deployment. The present invention also provides a means for filling the void in broadband service that currently exists in lower tier markets (i.e., markets with populations of less than about 165,000 persons) left by competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.